This Mediterranean chicken stew is an easy, one-pot meal made with simple ingredients, easy to customise, tastes amazing, and is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Here’s how to make it with step-by-step photos and a recipe video.
Unlike chicken and rice dishes, this easy chicken stew recipe has no rice, made with tender chicken pieces simmered with vegetables, herbs, and a flavorful broth. Easy to make and tastes delicious.
I love how this Mediterranean chicken stew recipe uses simple, everyday ingredients like chicken, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, carrots, and tomatoes. Everything is slow-simmered on a stovetop until the chicken turns tender and the broth soaks up all the Mediterranean flavours, just like this chicken and chickpea soup.
Once this hearty stew starts simmering, the kitchen smells amazing. The leftovers store well and taste even better the next day. But it is such a delicious meal that there are no leftovers. I like to serve it with some crusty bread.
If you love Mediterranean flavours, you may also like Spanish chicken and rice, Greek lemon chicken and rice, and garlic butter chicken bites.
Quick Look: Mediterranean Chicken Stew Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6 Calories: ~208 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Sear chicken → sauté vegetables and Mediterranean spices → add broth and tomatoes → simmer with chicken until tender.
- Flavour Profile: Mild spicy and tangy
- Difficulty: Easy, great for weekend meals
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Disclaimer: AI summaries may contain errors. Please check the original Mediterranean Chicken Stew recipe for accurate steps.
Why you will love this recipe
I have so many reasons why this Mediterranean-style chicken stew recipe is the best. A bowl of this chicken stew brings everyone to the table without even announcing that dinner is ready.
- One-Pot Recipe: This Mediterranean stew is made with juicy chicken and colourful vegetables, all in one pot. Want a hearty soup instead? Try my Thai chicken noodle soup. It is light, creamy, and perfect for chilly days.
- Light and flavorful: The stew is flavoured with classic Mediterranean flavours like oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Then the chicken simmers in the broth, and all the flavours blend so well. Every spoonful feels hearty and comforting.
- Easy to make: The chicken is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and seared. Then simmered in broth with vegetables until it is tender.
- Family-friendly dinner: The flavours are mild, so even the kids will enjoy it. You can adjust the spices as per taste. Keep it mild or make it spicy.
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Chicken Stew Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Chicken: You can use either boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs.
- Oregano and thyme: They are those classic Mediterranean herbs I also add to my Mediterranean chicken kebabs. If you don't have them, a little Italian seasoning works just as well.
- Ground cumin: You can skip cumin if you do not have it.
- Oil: I have used olive oil. You can use any neutral-flavour oil like sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil for this recipe.
- Onion and garlic: I have used red onions. You can substitute it with a yellow onion. Fresh garlic gives the best flavours. You can substitute it with garlic powder.
- Vegetables: I have used bell peppers, potatoes, and carrots. You can use any vegetables of your choice.
- Chicken broth: Gives a great depth of flavour to the Mediterranean chicken stew recipe. You can substitute it with chicken stock or vegetable broth/stock. Or simply substitute 1 cup of chicken broth with 1 cup of water and add 2 chicken stock cubes (or bouillon cubes) to flavour it.
- Tomatoes: I have used canned crushed tomatoes for the recipe. You can also use canned whole tomatoes and crush them with the ladle while cooking.
- Cilantro: Adds some fresh flavour to the stew recipe. Substitute it with fresh parsley.
- Lemon juice: Substitute it with white wine vinegar.
How to make Mediterranean Chicken Stew
Step 1: Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked. Remove it to a plate and set aside.
Step 3: In the same pot, add onions, bell peppers, carrots, and potatoes. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Step 4: Add garlic, pepper, salt, paprika, thyme, oregano, and cumin. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Bring it to a boil.
Step 6: Reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken back to the pan. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove from heat. Add cilantro and lemon juice. Stir well and serve with bread or rice.
Tips to make the Best Mediterranean Chicken Stew
- Be careful while adding salt: Chicken broth has salt in it. Also, we seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper. I usually add less salt while marinating the chicken, then taste and add more if needed.
- Use good-quality broth: A flavorful broth makes a big difference in the final taste. If using store-bought, I like to pick a low-sodium one so that I can control the salt.
- Don't rush the simmer: Slow cooking allows the chicken and vegetables to soak up all the Mediterranean herbs and spices. It gives tender and juicy chicken, comforting flavors. Slow cooking also helps to thicken the stew. It is the secret to the best taste.
- Cut vegetables into uniform sizes: Cut the potatoes and carrots into even-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- For a thicker stew: Mash a few pieces of cooked potato directly into the stew or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
Recipe FAQs
You can serve it with a crusty bread, steamed rice, or couscous with salad on the side.
You can thicken the stew either by reducing the stew on low heat or with the addition of flour.
1) Reducing the stew - In this recipe, we have used potatoes and reduced the stew on low heat to thicken it.
2) With Flour: Coat the chicken pieces with flour before searing them. Or you can use a roux (mix equal parts of flour and butter in a small bowl). Add the flour slurry to the stew while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. The stew will thicken in about 15-20 minutes of simmering.
3) Addition of cornstarch or potato starch: Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup of water. Add it to the boiling stew and stir continuously until it thickens. We used this trick in our one-pot chicken noodle soup.
Yes, you can. This Mediterranean stew actually tastes even better the next day because the flavours get more time to blend. You can make it a day ahead, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Just reheat gently on the stovetop before serving, maybe add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened.
Recipe Card
Mediterranean Chicken Stew
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
Marinate the chicken
- 700 grams boneless skinless chicken breast
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper add as per taste
- salt to taste
To make Mediterranean Chicken Stew
- 4 teaspoon olive oil divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 1 potato peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1.5 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 14.5-ounce 1 can of crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. The chicken need not be cooked through. Remove it to a plate.
- In the same pot, add onions, bell peppers, carrots and potatoes. Stir and sauté the vegetables for 5-7 minutes until they are soft.
- Add garlic, pepper, salt, paprika, thyme, oregano and cumin. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Cook until it comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add chicken back to the pan. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add cilantro and lemon juice and stir to combine. Serve with bread or rice.
Video
Notes
- Use good-quality broth: It gives the best flavor. If using store-bought, choose a low-sodium one so you can control the salt.
- Be careful with salt: Broth and marinated chicken already contain salt. Add more only after tasting it.
- Don't rush the simmer: Slow cooking lets the chicken and veggies soak up all the Mediterranean herbs. It makes them tender, juicy, and naturally thickens the stew.
- Cut vegetables evenly: Chop potatoes and carrots into even sizes for uniform cooking.
- Finish with lemon juice or zest: A small squeeze of lemon (or some zest) brightens the stew beautifully.
- For a thicker stew: Mash a few cooked potatoes into the stew or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
- Make it your way: Add olives, spinach, or chickpeas for a Mediterranean twist.
- Storage
- Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
- Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
- You can also freeze this stew. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
E. Kelly
Tried this today. Easy to make and absolutely bursting with flavour!!!
Preeti
Happy to hear that.
Victor
Very nice!
Bree
I think I'll try this in the crock pot, and shred the chicken breasts once they are cooked. I can't wait to try it!
Preeti
Do share your feedback with us.
Vaishnavi
Delicious recipe. Tried at home and everyone loved it ❤️. Thank you for sharing this recipe ☺️.
Parth
Good recipe. I tried it. Will love to try other recipes from this website.